ena
nded clinic smelled of
my weight. The Syndicate doctor flipped through my chart, his gaze fixed
his finger tapping the ultrasound printout. "Advan
My voice was thin
his hea
unbearable stress, the freezing conditions of the badlands... your body was p
d to draw the warmth from my skin. Near the exit, a heavily pregnant woman waddled past me. Her husband had
le, my hand flying to t
d against the rough concrete wall, burying my face in my trembling hands
olen my time. They h
nd the Syndicate's annual Gala. "You need to show your f
ng a simple black dress, clutching a glass of water. The roo
hogany doors
ed to them. They raised their champagne glasses, toasting to the new heir. Silvio gaz
ed in her eyes. She patted her swollen stomach and walked s
f me and raised her gl
to you,
er, my face a
ng to me last night. He said if he had not exiled you, he would have struggled to make a choice between us. But he also sa
t to thank you for your noble sacrifice fo
ss until my knuc
ree fever in the desert," I hissed softly. "I dragged myself across the scorching
y. Silvio was busy buying me a limited-edition Vera Wang wedding gown. The receipt is still
romised to buy me that exact dr
ren
ed a protective hand on her waist and
, the words tasting like venom
ut into the dark street. A heavy, driving rain was washing over the city. The water instantly
popped open a large black umbrell
hoved the umbrella away. It c
" he shouted over
dulterated disgust. "I only feel disgust for wasting five years on a coward. Do you know what the desert t
hed for me again, despera
ut of his reach. I let the rain wash over
erena dissolve in the rain. What remained
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